Prey (Blackwater Pack Book 2)

by Hannah McBride

  … but Katy didn’t seem to get that or care.

  “That’s bullshit!” Katy yelled at him. She swept a hand backwards, knocking over a couple of wine glasses. They shattered on the floor.

  The soft tinkle of glass shards skittering across the floor stunned all of us.

  Remy sucked in a sharp breath behind me, and I watched as Gabe’s eyes narrowed darkly. Everything in the room seemed to pause.

  Gabe exhaled slowly, clearly trying to rein in his temper. “Since you can’t act like an adult, Katherine, I think it’s time you left the room.” His tone was eerily calm as he spoke, but I could see the underlying power he was holding back.

  Katy was yelling at her dad, but he was also her Alpha. And she was going into seriously dangerous territory.

  Instead of backing down, she doubled down. “You can’t make me—”

  Gabe’s shoulders straightened, everything about him suddenly hard and immoveable. On instinct, I dropped my eyes in submission and noted my mom had done the exact same. Even Mallory was watching her mate and daughter with a guarded expression.

  Our wolves inherently recognized the look of a pissed off Alpha pushed too far.

  Katy ducked her head. “I’m sorry, Dad.”

  “I wasn’t asking. Go upstairs. Now.”

  With an audible swallow, Katy spun on her heel and headed for the back staircase without a word.

  Gabe watched her go, his body barely moving as he breathed and tried to reign in his wolf. It wasn’t until Mallory slid her hand into his and leaned against him that the tension leached from his body. He absently kissed the top of her head.

  He was the Alpha, but his mate calmed him. Their bond was something he needed and relied on.

  It was the same way I relied on Remy when things went to hell, or the way I seemed to soothe him.

  “It should be me,” I blurted out as the idea came to me all at once.

  Everyone turned and looked at me with varying levels of confusion.

  “I should be the one to go to the Summit,” I explained. “I’m the one who should talk to the Council.”

  “Skye, no,” Mom said quickly.

  “Not a chance,” Remy replied fiercely. “No way are you going near your uncle.”

  I shook my head firmly. “No, it makes the most sense.”

  Mom came over to me. “Honey, I’m your mother. It’s my job to protect you. If Linden wins, that means I’ll have to go back to Long Mesa with him. If you’re here, Gabe and the pack will protect you or hide you.”

  I reached out for her hand. “Mom, it has to be me.”

  Her lips pressed together. “Skye—”

  “Listen to me,” I cut in. “Remy is my mate. We’re bonded. A mate’s claim is higher than a pack’s claim.” I struggled to remember what I had learned last semester in our Shifter History class. They had gone over Pack Laws.

  Unsurprisingly, Long Mesa violated more than a few.

  But even they weren’t above a mate's claim. Mates, true bonded mates, were too rare in our world. The Council would never approve separating mates.

  I smiled slowly. “They can’t take me away from Remy. The Council will never agree to it. Linden can’t make me go with him.”

  I felt Remy move behind me, his body brushing against mine as I looked over Mom’s shoulder to Gabe and Mallory.

  “Right?” I asked, my eyes locking on our Alpha for support. “Mom could be taken back. They won’t separate me from my mate.”

  Gabe blinked and rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “That’s … actually a really good point.” He glanced down at Mallory. “It might just be our shot at getting the Council to listen.”

  “I don’t like it,” Remy snapped. “It puts Skye at risk. No way.”

  I sighed and looked at him. “They won’t touch me if I’m with you. It makes the most sense.”

  I was right, and he knew it. But he sure as hell wasn’t happy about it.

  “You realize that means you’ll have to face down your uncle, right?” he pressed. “You’ll have to tell a room full of Alphas, in detail, what he did to you and your mom. What happened to Bella and Zara, and what happened with Cassian.”

  Raising a hand, I cradled his cheek. “I know you’re trying to get me to change my mind, and I love you for wanting to protect me, but this is the only way, Rem. Besides, I’m not ashamed to tell my story. I’m not afraid to tell everyone what my uncle did to me. What Cassian did. People need to know the truth.”

  A slow grin crept over my face as I imagined Linden’s face when I outed him to the community. “I can’t wait to see the look on my uncle’s face when he realizes he’s lost.”

  Remy growled low in his throat. “I don’t want you anywhere near him.”

  “But you’ll be with me,” I countered, lifting a hand to his jaw. “You won’t let him hurt me.”

  His dark eyes looked over my shoulder at his father. He absolutely hated this idea.

  “She’s right, son,” Gabe told him. “I don’t like it any more than you do, but Skye is the only one we know they can’t force to go back. She’s your mate. That holds a lot of weight with the Council.”

  Mom touched my back, making me turn to look at her.

  She reached up, smoothing a hand across my hair. “Honey, no. You need to stay here where it’s safe.”

  “No,” I replied gently. “It’s time I told Linden to go to hell. I’m done being afraid of him. If I go, I can prove we weren’t kidnapped or whatever. I can prove that we’re happy here.”

  Tears filled her green eyes. “It’s my job to protect you, remember?”

  “You did that,” I answered honestly. “You got me out of there. Now it’s my turn to protect you, Mom. To protect all of us.”

  She shook her head. “I still don’t like it.”

  “Gabe and Remy will be with me,” I pointed out. “You know they won’t let anything happen to me.”

  “You have my word, Addie,” Gabe vowed. “Your brother won’t hurt her.”

  With a shaky breath, Mom rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “You’re not going to back down on this, are you?”

  “No,” I answered honestly.

  “Fine. Go and tell them the truth. Our truth,” Mom whispered. She dropped her gaze to mine, her expression fierce. “But you stay with Gabe and Remy. You don’t go off on your own. The Council may accept Remy is your mate, but I know my brother. Don’t underestimate him or his cruelty.”

  I forced myself to relax so she wouldn’t see the trembling of my hands. “I know, Mom. I’ve got this.”

  Now I looked back at Remy, who had been silent for most of this. I knew he hated the idea more than my mom did.

  “I don’t like this either,” he said coldly, eyes flashing. “You can stay here. Hell, we can video chat all of you in for the Council to question. No one needs to go.”

  “I need to go for me, Rem,” I replied, reaching for him and tangling our fingers together. “I need to end this with my uncle once and for all. I need to show him that he didn’t win. Besides, if you put us on a video chat, he’ll probably argue we’re being forced to say whatever you want.”

  He hissed out a breath and looked away. “I still don’t like it.”

  “I know. But I need you to trust me, okay?”

  His gaze snapped back to mine, the muscle in his jaw ticking as he ground his molars. After a heavy pause, he squeezed my hand. “Okay.”

  21

  Dinner was a very subdued meal, and hardly anyone spoke. Katy never came back down.

  I had offered half-heartedly to come home with Mom after dinner ended, but she told me to stay. She was going over to Zara’s to talk to her best friend and would likely stay there for the night. That was a relief; I wasn’t crazy about Mom going home alone tonight to overthink me going to the Summit.

  I wanted to talk to Remy about the Summit, but he and his father needed to get back on a conference call with some of the other Alphas they knew to discuss Linden’s accusations and the
new plan involving me going to the Summit.

  While Mallory and the twins cleaned up, I carried a plate of food and a drink upstairs to Katy’s room.

  I didn’t bother knocking when I came in, kicking the door shut behind me with my foot.

  Katy’s room was one of my favorite spaces ever.

  The room was on the bigger side. There was a queen bed tucked into one corner that allowed for a small sitting area by a large window that looked out over the backyard. She only had one bookcase that mostly held picture frames and some bins full of currently unopened cosmetics with a handful of actual books on the shelves. She had a gorgeous white vanity against another wall that was a mess of brushes and other makeup items I was clueless about.

  But there were little Katy touches everywhere that made this place special. An entire wall was dedicated to pictures of Katy, her family, and friends. I loved seeing the innocent childish faces of Katy, Remy, Rhodes, and Larkin when they were growing up. There was a picture of Katy and Remy holding the newborn twins, Katy and her mom in the kitchen, Katy with her dad by the lake …

  I especially loved that now there were pictures of me woven into the story being told on that wall. There was a shot of Katy, Larkin and I hanging out together, another one of Remy and I from this past Christmas, and there was a large photo of me with the entire Holt family at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

  I reached up and fingered the necklace Remy had given me that night. The charm of the crescent moon and embedded diamond that looked like a star was a symbol of their family.

  Our family.

  Katy was curled up on the overstuffed armchair facing the window as I came in.

  Setting her food down on the small end table beside the chair, I sat down on the loveseat across from her.

  “I keep making a mess of everything, don’t I?” she finally asked, looking up at me with sad brown eyes.

  I pulled my legs up under me. “We all know you’re worried about Maren, but you have to know that we want her back as much as you do. If there was even a tiny chance your Dad knew where Maren was, don’t you think he would do everything in his power to get her back?”

  She scrubbed a hand over her face. “I can’t stand this, Skye. I feel like everything is so out of control, and there isn’t a damn thing I can do.”

  “Tell me about it,” I muttered.

  “God, I am the worst friend,” she lamented, her head dropping back. “Seriously, why do you even put up with me?”

  I made a face. “Mostly because you’re my boyfriend’s sister, and you’re a good excuse to spend the night with him.”

  She hurled an aptly named throw pillow at me with a short laugh. “Jerk.”

  I caught the pillow easily and grinned, happy to see her smile even if only for a second.

  “I’m sorry,” she apologized. “You have to be sick of hearing me say that.”

  “Katy, you’re one of my best friends.” I wrinkled my nose. “You’re one of my only friends,” I amended.

  That earned a small smile.

  “I can’t imagine what you’re going through,” I went on. “I know you’re struggling, but maybe try letting us in instead of shutting everyone out? You barely talk at school, and Remy has told me your parents are worried. He’s worried, too.”

  She sighed deeply. “I know. I just … I feel so damn helpless, Skye. And when I think about what they could be doing to her …”

  A sick feeling washed over me. I swallowed down the wave of bile rising in my throat.

  “Do you think that my dad is right? That your uncle might have something to do with this?”

  My eyes slid shut for a second. “My uncle is a monster. So yeah, he’s probably involved in something as morally wrong and disgusting as kidnapping women. Cassian admitted the pack was involved when we were up on the ridge in the fall.”

  “Do you think your uncle has her?” Her breathing hitched. “Do you think they’re doing to Maren what happened to you and your mom?” Her voice was so small I almost didn’t hear it.

  All the air left my lungs in a rush as her words sank in.

  No wonder she had been so depressed and angry lately. If her thoughts were plagued by visions of her girlfriend being violated and ripped apart on a daily basis, I could easily see why Katy was a wreck.

  My hands curled into fists, the surge of nausea almost too much for me to hold back. A cold sweat broke out on my back.

  “I don’t know.” The whispered admission hung between us for several silent moments.

  “But,” I finally added, trying to find a glimmer of hope, “from what your dad and Remy said, this has been going on for awhile. Females started going missing when I was still in Long Mesa, and none of them ever ended up where I did.”

  A small spark of light entered her sad eyes as she watched me.

  I tried to pick my words carefully. “I don’t think they’re at Long Mesa. It’s not a big enough place to hide a bunch of missing people. I don’t think Maren is there.”

  She let out a shuddered breath and swiped at the tears that fell. “Thanks, Skye.”

  “I promise I’ll find out as much as I can about her at the Summit,” I swore.

  Her head snapped up. “You’re going to the Summit?”

  I swallowed and nodded slowly. “Yeah. It makes more sense for me to go than my mom. Remy and I are mates. They won’t make me go back with my uncle.”

  Her lips opened into a perfect circle. “But that means you’ll have to tell them … everything. You’ll have to see them again.”

  I held her gaze even though I wanted to look away. “I know.”

  “Are you ready for that?”

  “I don’t know if it’s something I’ll ever be ready for,” I replied honestly, “but it’s something I need to do. Maybe it’ll be cathartic or something.”

  Katy unfurled her body from her chair and crossed the carpet to me, squeezing onto the loveseat with me and wrapping her arms around my shoulders. “I wish I could come with you. I could ask Dad. He might let me come along for moral support.”

  I leaned into her comfort, resting my head against her. “No offense, honey, but after that stunt down in the kitchen? Odds are that will be a big, fat no.”

  She snorted. “I really am a fuck up.”

  “But you’re our fuck up,” I replied lightly, smiling. “And we love you.”

  She giggled quietly and snuggled into my side. We both looked up as someone knocked on her door, opening it a few inches.

  “Is it safe to come in?” Remy asked from the other side.

  “Yeah,” Katy said.

  Remy entered the room and stopped, smiling and shaking his head in amusement when he saw us curled up together.

  “I hate to interrupt, but Dad wants you in his office, Katy.”

  She grimaced and looked at me. “Guess that’s my next stop on the apology tour.”

  “Guess so,” I murmured, watching her get up.

  Katy started across the room and paused in front of Remy before throwing her arms around his shoulders.

  With a warm chuckle, he hugged her back, his gaze meeting mine over her shoulder. I smiled at the relief in his eyes.

  He and Katy had always been close, and I knew he hated the distance between them.

  “I’m sorry I’ve been such a pain in the ass,” she said so quietly I almost missed it. “I know you’re doing your best, and I haven’t made it easy.”

  “I promise we’re doing everything we can to get Maren back,” he promised when she pulled away.

  Katy wiped at her eyes. “I know. I love you, big brother.”

  “Love you, too, Kit-Kat,” he replied.

  She sucked in a sharp breath. “How mad is Dad?”

  “Mad,” he answered truthfully. “But he knows why you’re upset. We love Maren, too.”

  She looked back at me. “Wish me luck.”

  “You don’t need it,” I called as she walked out of the room.

  Remy pressed his li
ps into a thin line and walked to me, holding out a hand. “Come with me?”

  I didn’t hesitate to put my hand in his, letting him tug me to my feet and lead me out of Katy’s room and across the hall to his. He closed the door behind us.

  I took in a deep breath, my senses overwhelmed by the scent of Remy everywhere.

  He came up behind me, his chest brushing my back. I waited for him to touch me, reach for me, and he didn’t disappoint.

  His hands settled briefly on my hips before sliding around and hugging my middle, pulling my back flush to his front. A second later I felt his lips feather across my neck. With a content sigh, I leaned back into him with my eyes closed.

  All the stress and worry slowly trickled away as time stood still.

  When it was just us like this, I could forget the rest of the world outside the door that was waiting to tear us apart.

  Then again, the world never seemed quite as scary when Remy had my back.

  With a reluctant sigh, I turned in his arms and looked up at him. “Are we going to talk about this?”

  “This?” he echoed, a small crease forming between his eyes.

  “Me going to the Summit to testify,” I clarified, waiting for the argument.

  His mouth flattened. “Is there anything I can say that will get you to change your mind and stay here?”

  “Not really,” I admitted.

  He lowered his forehead to mine and sighed. “Skye, I know I can’t change your mind. And as much as I want to protect you, I also know that you need to do this for yourself and your mom.”

  Hope fluttered in my chest.

  “If it were up to me, you would never see your uncle or anyone from that pack ever again,” he continued. “I never want you to have to think about that shit again. But you and my dad are right—you’re the most logical choice to testify. Even if I absolutely hate the idea.”

  I tipped my head back, shaking my hair out of my eyes so I could see him. “The idea of seeing my uncle again makes me sick.”